Winter Training

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Winter Training Hills

• Kelly Sullivan
• Head Cross Country and Track Field Coach
• Oregon State University

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Specifics

• Hills
• Hills are similar to Lydiard Hill bounding
  circuits.
• HILLS Done two different ways High knee hill
  bounding with 3 x 100m strides or straight hills
  with 3 x 100m strides (see below)

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• Hills
• HILLS Done two different ways High knee hill
  bounding with 3 x 100m strides or straight hills
  with 3 x 100m strides (see below)
• HILL TRAINING SESSIONS High Knee Drill A
  variation of Lydiards Hill Circuit Bounding.
• 15-20 minute warm-up. Stretch real good and
  change into light racing flats.
• Run to the top of the hill 3 x 100m continuous
  strides back and forth. Jog back down easy.
• High Knee up the 300m hill. Want the knees to be
  going North and South

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• Hills
• PHILOSOPHY AND HOW
• 300m hill Fairly steep, but not a mountain.
  Something that has a solid incline but very much
  doable. Solid dirt hill is the best and even a
  hill that changes grade wise.
• 3 X 100m strides to start the workout. Always do
  these before doing the first high knee.

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• Hills
• PHILOSOPHY AND HOW
• - HIGH KNEE Truly running high knee effort. On
  the toes, working on form and the goal is not to
  see how fast you can make it to the top, but how
  many touches you can have. You want them to be
  focusing on driving the knees up with ease,
  shoulders square, looking at the top of the hill
  so head up, feeling light on their feet and toes.
  More of like a piston type effort. Being
  efficient and thinking of the great Muhammad Ali
  quote FLOAT LIKE A BUTTERFLY

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• Hills
• PHILOSOPHY AND HOW
• - STRIDES Once they crest the hill, they
  immediately go into a quick 100m stride.
  Preferably this should have a slight downhill
  grade to the first one and third. Then they turn
  right around and run the 2nd 100m stride, same
  effort and this is the only one that should have
  a slight incline, then turn right around again,
  without stopping and run a 3rd gradually quick
  downhill 100m stride. Then right after, begin
  their recovery (400m) back down the hill and run
  the recovery easy! Telling them to concentrate
  on full recovery and being relaxed before next
  one.

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2. Specifics

• PHILOSOPHY AND HOW
• Emphasis on the strides As soon as they
  approach the crest of hill they begin to think
  about changing their rhythm from high knee to
  sprinting So about 10-15 meters out begin
  thinking about this - they continue to stay
  tall but also will changing from high knee to
  quick feet and go right into using their arms
  and shoulders and drive but at the same time
  thinking about being quick and relaxed. Do not
  let them drop their shoulders or plow through
  it. The idea is teaching them to shift gears like
  we yell at them to do in a race and unless we
  teach it, most cant do it! You want them to
  maintain proper sprinting form, keeping their
  heads up, looking down the 100ms and thinking
  about being a sprinter! Same thing when they turn
  around, stay tall, dont rest drive the arms
  and shoulders and keep head up and shift again as
  turning back will demand each time to do it
  again!

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• Hills
• PHILOSOPHY AND HOW
• Finishing up the second part of Alis famous
  quote STING LIKE A BEE!
• - Once they are done, change back into their
  training flats, 15 minute cool down and stretch
  well. This should be a really fun workout!

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OTHER IDEAS

• - You can do these in partners or start everyone
  at one time and let them break into natural
  groups. Truly emphasize that the HIGH KNEES are
  NOT a race the goal is get the knees high,
  proper running mechanics and get as many quick
  high knee touches as you can.
• You can shorten this to 150m and 200m high knees
  for younger folks, hurdlers, sprinters etc.

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OTHER IDEAS

• - Try to plan workouts so that everyone gets done
  about the same time. Dont like folks being out
  there all on their own as there is a tendency for
  them to rush, lose focus.
• - This can be a team rallying workout tough,
  fun and teachable at the same time.
• Lastly great workout to film and let them see
  themselves seeing is believing! They may think
  they are getting their knees up, using their arms
  etc But seeing themselves and others can really
  help a lot.